Delhi Acid Attack: Police question Flipkart for selling acid despite Supreme Court ban

Due to allegations that acid was being sold on Flipkart's platform despite the Supreme Court's ban on the substance, Delhi Police has brought into question the company's executives. The primary suspect in an acid attack on a girl in Dwarka, Delhi, claimed he purchased the acid from the e-commerce site, prompting the police to issue a notice to Flipkart on December 15.

The police claim that after questioning the officials on Wednesday, they were unsatisfied with the firm's response. In its response to the notice, the company stated that an Agra-based company sold the acid. Police stated that a decision would be made later on regarding further interrogation.

Ban on acid by Supreme Court

It should be noted that on August 30, 2013, the home ministry released an advisory on "Measures to be taken to prevent acid attacks on people and for treatment and rehabilitation of survivors" in accordance with the Supreme Court's directives in the case of Laxmi vs. Union Of India & Ors.

The home ministry had urged all states and union territories to act right away to put the recommendations for reducing acid attacks and treating and rehabilitating acid attack victims into effect. According to Section 2(9) of the Consumer Protection Act of 2019, "consumer rights" include the right to protection from the marketing of goods, products, or services that pose a risk to life and property.

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According to the ministry, the sale of extremely toxic acids in a simple, open, and unrestricted manner by the online marketplace entity without any kind of due diligence can have devastating effects on consumers, particularly the vulnerable members of society like women and children.

Delhi acid attack accused bought acid from Flipkart

In accordance with Section 4(3) of the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, no e-commerce firm may engage in any unfair trade practises, whether as part of regular operations on its platform or in other contexts. On December 14, a girl was seriously injured when two masked men on a bike threw acid on her minutes after she left her west Delhi home for school.

The main suspect, Sachin Arora, along with his two friends, Virender Singh (22) and Harshit Aggarwal (19), have all been taken into custody. Sagar Preet Hooda, the special commissioner of police for law and order, revealed at a press conference that Arora used online payment mode to pay for the acid that was involved in the attack.

During questioning, it came to light that Arora and the victim had been close friends up until September. Hooda claimed that after they argued, the accused attacked the girl and added that he lived nearby.

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(With inputs from PTI)